Official Nintendo Consoles Music Thread (Thanks for Listening!)

GNamer's Music Week 116
The Metroidathon Part IV
Isolated With an Alien Week
You know what would be a really tense, excellent videogame? One inspired by the Alien universe, where you played as an admittedly badass lone female protagonist in hostile, oppressive environments where you are relentlessly hounded by a terrifying alien killing machine. What's that? There is a game like that? What's it called?

This is actually the first Metroid game I'm covering for Official Nintendo Music Weeks which I'd completed prior to writing about it (I'd played through Zero Mission but never the NES game) and it is a belter. Tense, atmospheric, maybe slightly too talky in places but a perfect distillation of the Metroid gameplay for the GBA.

Arachnus X

Just a solid boss theme. Too bad its for a spider. Not keen. There's a big ass black spider living on the staircase up to my flat at the moment. Can't be dealing with that. Fucking Shelob all up in here. Don't wanna kill it cos that's harsh, but getting rid of it humanely would mean dealing with it more than I'm happy to.

Underwater Depths

I don't normally like underwater sections, but I always love their music. Like Donkey Kong Country, Super Mario Brothers and surfing in Pokemon, the music here is no exception.

3: Nightmare

Another boss theme, but a really unusual one. Less thumping action, more creepy. Appropriate for a doll-faced robot that's been invested with an oozing alien parasite. Also, a real dick of a boss.

2: Environmental Disquiet

The sort of music the Balls Man would have you believe doesn't work for this sort of thing, any other game would kill to have this sort of tension. Reminds me of a line from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where Mila Kunis is complimenting Jason Segel on the music he writes for Crime Scene: Scene of the Crime and he says "Its not music. Its just ominous tones."

1: The SA-X
The SA-X approaches
Escape the SA-X

Like it would be anything else. The foreboding tones that tell you it's close, the panic as you try and flee. The game's soundtrack, much like the game, is defined by the SA-X. Oh, and here's the boss theme from when you finally get to take the bitch on. Slightly underwhelming.

Ye really can't beat a bit Metroid, brilliant stuff!

It's funny how Fusion is a game I've finished but I somehow don't remember that Nightmare boss for some reason, if I didn't have enough games to be playing currently then I'd be replaying fusion again.

I think Nightmare returned in other m as well.

GNamer's Music Week 117
World's Longest Ladder Week

I've had a long week of having to get up early and work actual shifts like an adult so I'm afraid it's just a Balls-Man-style single song week.
Snake Eater
But what a song! A real, proper song that adds to that marvellous blockbuster feeling Metal Gear Solid games have. I love this song, could probably sing it from memory. And what a game! I've still yet to play MGS3 on anything other than the 3DS so, to me, it belongs in this thread.

Also, I can't climb a tall ladder in any game now without singing.

Of course, I know this from SSBB, only it's the non-vocal version. Not bad either way.

I GIVE MY LIFE, NOT FOR HONOUR, BUT FOR YOUUUUUU

Pure Bondesque brilliance. Really gives it that blockbuster feel.

Athrun's Video Game Playlist: Track 06 ~ Last Battle Arrange (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrU4tfzQSZc


We all know the setting, the before it was done to death one on one against Ganondorf all alone in a final duel to decide the fate of the world.  And we should all hopefully know the theme that accompanies the duel against Ganondorf, or rather, Ganon as he is in that form.  This official arrangement from the arrange soundtrack does a great job taking a theme and giving it not only some better instrumentation but also giving it a much needed extra portion.  The original was frankly rather bland on its own, feeling more like half a theme than a whole one.  No longer.  The main thing I like about the arrangement though is that it doesn't decide to be radically different.  Given the way instrumentation was back in the games era the greatest treat is just hearing the theme with better production values.  

I really need to pick this soundtrack up already.

Ooh, great choice! I was thinking of including an OoT track as my week in celebration of ONM but decided to leave it until I do the Zeldas.

Shame it's MGS3

Also wouldn't the rules mean it should be here anyway as there's a Nintendo version like THIS.

I'd say so, but I'm probably in a bit of a minority for playing it first on 3DS.

I defy anyone to not like that snake eater song, great stuff! Maybe I'll get around to finishing that game one day.

Drunka wrote:

I'd say so, but I'm probably in a bit of a minority for playing it first on 3DS.

I hadn't played it properly until the 3ds version as well.

I didn't say anything about Metroid Fusion (not commenting on Athrun's before he leaves some comments about other people's pieces. It's only polite!), but it still sits on my Wii U, waiting to be really unlocked.  However, seeing the name of the SA-X made me really want to check if a certain type of video existed.  And of course it did. (Be warned: spoilers for the game in the latter half of the video!)

Balladeer wrote:

not commenting on Athrun's before he leaves some comments about other people's pieces. It's only polite!

Whether it's polite or not I do not make posts unless I not only have an opinion on something but have a strong desire to articulate it.  My default behavior in life because of reasons I'd prefer to keep to myself (suffice to say I'm a very a-social person) is to simply avoid as much social contact as possible, so it typically takes my desire to engage further in my hobbies and interests or express myself to trump my basic instinct and desire to keep to myself.  Which is why I often drop conversations for seemingly no reason, I rarely make posts outside very specific threads, I frequently make long bloated posts when I make them, and I don't often make comments about other peoples music weeks.  

So as far as being polite is concerned you'll have to make do with the knowledge I'm watching and that if I didn't post it means I enjoyed what I heard, and this overly bloated explanation as to why I don't partake in small chit chat.  But rest assured, I am actually following them.  It's nice to step outside what I usually listen to once in a while and have a change.

GNamer's Music Week 118
Robot Shooting Week


In honour of a little project I'll hopefully be uploading tonight, this week will be celebrating the fourth greatest game about shooting robots of all time, as declared by the foremost expert on roboshoots in the world~ me!

5: Wily Fortress

Mega Man 2 is not an easy game, but even so the final stage sees a sharp increase in difficulty. Luckily, it has a banging tune to tell you to believe in yourself.
And here it is with lyrics! These were the early days of Brentalfloss, when his music was fun and he was doing it because he wanted to as opposed to sexist insults to Samus made out of a business interest.

4: Bubble Man

The easiest boss in the game, after a surprisingly painless water level, has an incredibly funky theme. My only complaint is that I never get to spend much time listening to it.
And here's a nice little guitar cover.

3; Metal Man

I always start a playthrough of Megaman 2 with the Metal Man stage; the buzz saw is obviously the best weapon, so I unlock it first. That means I've spent more time in this level than any other. Thankfully, this is by far the best stage music in the game.
For the Metal Man theme, I'll obviously turn to one of the million metalheads covering Megaman music on youtube, right? Wrong. Violin

2: Opening Titles
Title (Part 1)
Title (Part 2)

The most cinematic introduction the NES ever experienced; that pan up the building, that heroically windswept hero, that music... a great start to a great game.
With Lyrics... again. Sorry to double-dip on Brentalfloss, but he did his best work with Megaman. It was where he began and the music just has such singable tunes.

1: Boss Select

Let me tell you a little story. I had the megaman 2 soundtrack on my mp3 player, as you do, and I was listening to it on shuffle. I was 17, recently broken up with my first real girlfriend. I thought woe was me. I had some depressing song on, my black hood up, as you do. The song finished, I was all grumpy. Then; bam! The Mega Man stage select theme. Immediately, I felt ace. Its more of a jingle than a song, but it is just perfect for getting you ready to go, and it will forever live on my gym playlist, ready for the shuffle to bust it out just when I need it.
Yeah, I couldn't find a cover of an 8-second song. So instead, here's the only other piece of music I've ever discovered which can have the same effect on me if it comes up on shuffle.

ME-GA-DA-ME-GA-DA-ME-GA-MAN! HE'S UP ON THE EFFIN ROOF!

Good work.

SEGA's Sound Team did some really nice rearrangements for the Sochi Winter Olympics game last year, but in my opinion here's the nicest:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0aIHWhkd40

(sniffles) What? No, no, just something in my eye, I promise.

I first heard Wily's Castle in a Mario and Sonic-themed flash series, of all places. Loved it straight away. Nothing will be able to compare with that for me from Mega Man, although Metal Man is pretty great as well.

Trying to pass off a wrestling tune as Mega Man-related, though?

Balladeer wrote:

Trying to pass off a wrestling tune as Mega Man-related, though?

GNamer's Music Week 119
Balla Basically Asked for This Week



Match Background

Aw, man, listening to this puts me in a mind to do one of two things; plug in an N64 and play this game, or turn the N64 off, take of my shirt, and do wrestling moves on my mates until my mum shouts at me. Guess which of those things is more likely; and here's some clues- I don't live with my mum any more and I have access to copious ammounts of gin.

Menu

Dig diggity . . . dig diggity dog. BREAK IT!
Dig diggity . . . dig diggity dog. BREAK IT!
Dig diggity . . . dig diggity dog. BREAK IT!

If you SMEELLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Nobody gets a pop like the People's Champ, and nobody's entrance music can make a crowd of grown men lose their shit more quickly; even squeezed through the meagre sound capacities of an N64.

Anyway, sorry this one's a bit late. Had a bit of a couple of days (came very close to getting punched a couple of times thanks to my drunken shenanigans, forgot to pay my BT bill, and so on...) and wasn't sure what I wanted to do until the Balls Man gave me an idea. Back to business as usual on Sunday

Yass! Nice of you to sneak in a modded screenshot there buska  this game really was superb & still holds up today, back when I had a bugged version of the game I dreaded hearing this because it meant that all your save data had been deleted.

GNamer's Music Week 120
Happy as a Piloswine in Grimer



Cold, torrential rain, the early nights, Christmas still far away, England losing in both forms of rugby: we're all beyond miserable now (although the Scots may derive some cheer from that latter point).  So Balla's back to warm your hearts with some of the happiest tunes in Ninty console gaming.  

Only rule: it can't have had its own link and picture in a previous week.  And that's quite restrictive, actually: it rules out some happiness classics.  You won't hear the likes of Puzzle Plank, Gusty Garden, Windmill Hills, or Outer Rings this week (search 'em on Youtube for even more happiness).  In fact, none of the main pieces are from the Galaxies at all, so that's a thoroughly misleading picture.  (A really happy one though!)  But I've still worked hard to find some cheerful songs that'll warm your stony hearts this autumn.  Have a listen:


5. Wildlands



Best game ever?  Well, no.  Not by a long shot.  In fact, some of you may be unhappy just being reminded of it.  But look at all the smiling faces it contains!  Not to mention this brilliant bouncy track, which I'm worried will be forgotten with the game.  It doesn't deserve to be!  It's got me jigging in my seat as I type.

In true Drunka style, I'll be doing remixes this week too.  Here's the SSBB version, and it's possibly even more cheerful.  "Yoshi!"



4. Flock Step



I could have picked any one of a number of songs from Beat the Beat - just not remix 8.  But I know this is a favourite around these parts, and if a flock of ridiculously proportioned multicoloured birds squawk-stepping to this happiest of marches doesn't cheer you up... well, I've still got three more shots at it!

No remixes of Flock Step on Youtube, but the birds also feature in Remix 5 from the same game, and it's equally bouncy in its music.  


3. Snowy Fields



Whaddyou mean, "It's not Christmas yet"?  Didn't stop me singing "Hark the Herald" as I walked down the street the other day.  Got some odd looks doing that, I can tell you.  Anyway, this is the perfect music to get you in a pre-Christmas Christmas mood, complete with sleigh bells, and even delving into calypso just before the loop.  

This remix thing's hard!  Don't know how Drunka does it.  Anyway, I couldn't find any remixes of this one either, so here's another very cheerful piece of Christmassy music.  Handily, it makes my picture at the beginning of the post almost relevant!


2. Rainbow Road (Double Dash!!)



Now, where would a list of happiest Nintendo music be without a Rainbow Road?  Nowhere, that's where.  This one's the happiest of the series, in my humble opinion.  Just something about the main melody.  And what's happier than watching somebody who's not you fall off?  Nothing, that's what.

I couldn't bring myself to post that dreadful/"ironic" Mark Kump song again, so here's a "what if DD!!Road was in SSB4?" remix.  I don't like the madly fluctuating volume, but it's pretty special otherwise.  


1. Deep Keep



For a music thread man, DKCTF is the gift that just keeps on giving.  I said that Windmill Hills was insanely happy in Week 100, and it is, but this: this is wonderful.  So bright, so sunny, so full of joy - all the things that Britain isn't right now, piped straight into your Wii U.  Truly, videogame music to dance to.  Marvellous stuff.  

And helpfully, the game itself remixes this piece when you go underwater.  


Hopefully those five have helped you see out the day with a bit more of a smile on your face.  If not - well, I tried.  Guess you'll just have to carry on being dismal...

GNamer's Music Week 120
PART TWO!
Happy as Larry (Buttz)

Time for a good ol' fashioned team-up between your two favourite music maestros! There are three things that make me happy in this world; blonde princesses in pink dresses, gin and tonics, and Nintendo music. So let me make y'all happy!

Super Mario Bros 2

Obviously, any Mario Theme fills me with joy, both nostalgia-wise and by being jolly songs. Super Mario Bros 2 is nobody's favourite Mario game but that music is just the most hummable, fun music in the world. This is what I sing to myself when I'm in a good move.
And just for Jay, here's Smooth McGroove!

Pallet Town

A different kind of happiness here, with Pokemon's hometown vibes making me feel warm and comforted. The literal hundreds of hours I spent playing Pokemon Blue as a nipper, I feel more at home in Pallet Town than anywhere else in the world.
Here's a really sweet little piano version.

Maya's theme

Maya Fey and Phoenix Wright's relationship is such a sweet little love all the way through the original trilogy of games and the music that accompanies her just adds to that warmth. This is yet another one I just can't get out of my head.
Here's an orchestral version, which captures the sadder side of the song rather than the happiness but is lovely nonetheless.

Moo Moo Meadows (Yes, I know Balla did a Mario Kart one as well)

The best track in the world also happens to have the loveliest music. This just perfectly captures the fun of playing a Mario Kart game while simultaneously making me feel like going really, really fast. Perfection.
Violin cover, 'natch


Wind Waker Theme

A very natural sounding tune starts up the most understated, lovable Zelda game ever made. Wind Waker's world is one that I just really want to step into, and if I put this music on and close my eyes I can just about manage it. The bright sun, the green grass, the smell on the ocean... it's like being on holiday.
And here's a pretty chill dude playing on lots of instruments.

Next week you'll have to put up with me on my own again, without my glamorous assistant.

drunka wrote:

Super Mario Bros 2 is nobody's favourite Mario game but....

*ahem* I always get shocked faces after I say this but it's my favourite 2d Mario game.

Oh wow, really? I'm not judging, it is a phenomenal game. I just never met anyone who said it was their favourite before.